Jastrzębski Węgiel vying for first CEV Champions League title

Jastrzębski Węgiel will go into their second-ever CEV Champions League SuperFinal against Trentino Itas on Sunday 5th May looking to lift the illustrious trophy for the very first time.

Last season they reached their first SuperFinal after an impressive run through the competition only to fall just short of the ultimate prize, losing 12-15 in the fifth set to fellow Polish side Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn-Kožle in Turin.

If Jastrzębski Węgiel can go one better than last year, not only will they make it back-to-back victories for Polish sides in this competition, but they will become the second Polish team in the competition’s history to win the Champions League. Should Jastrzębski Węgiel clinch the title, it will also be a landmark win for Poland, which would become the second country to win the men’s Champions League four times in a row, after Russia, whose teams claimed the title seven years in a row from 2011/12 to 2017/18.

In this year’s final, Jastrzębski Węgiel find themselves up against Italian opposition, a nation they have struggled against in previous Champions Leagues. In 11 meetings with Italian opponents in the competition, Węgiel have managed five wins but suffered six defeats, however one of those five victories has come in this season’s tournament, when they eliminated Gas Sales Daiko Piacenza in the quarter-finals.

This will not be the first time Jastrzębski Węgiel have met Sunday’s opponents in a major final. The two sides faced off in the 2011 Club World Championship, with the Italians running out 3-1 victors. They also met in the 2010/11 Champions League, with the same result as Trentino went on to win the title in the final year of their dominance in the competition.

If Jastrzębski Węgiel are to lift the title, they will need to rely on some key figures. Poland international outside hitter Tomasz Fornal has led the Polish side in scoring in this season’s tournament, with his 139 points scored landing him just two points outside the Top 10 for scoring this season. Fornal scored 30 points in the semi-finals, with only opposite Jean Patry scoring more.

Another player who has provided a new impetus for the team is middle blocker Norbert Huber. Huber played in last season’s Champions League SuperFinal, lifting the title with Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn-Kožle before making the switch to Węgiel for this season. His dominance at the net has played a large role in his side’s performance this season.

It has been a season of success for Jastrzębski Węgiel, who defeated Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in the final to lift the PlusLiga title for the third time in four seasons. They reached the finals of the Polish Cup and Polish SuperCup, but lost in the final on both occasions.

With just one match left to play this season, Jastrzębski Węgiel will be looking to complete a historic domestic and European double for the first time. Make sure to tune in on Sunday 5th May to see if they succeed.